Implantable renal replacement therapy device

Abstract

An implantable renal replacement therapy device may include: a first catheter configured to be inserted into a blood vessel in a subject's body; a pump in fluid communication with the first catheter, the pump is configured to pump subject's blood from the blood vessel; a filter in fluid communication with the pump, the filter is configured to: receive the subject's blood from the pump, and filter the received blood to provide a filtered blood and a filtrate liquid, wherein the filter is in fluid communication with the first catheter to cause an outflow of the filtered blood from the filter to the blood vessel; and a second catheter in fluid communication with the filter and configured to be inserted into an urinary bladder in the subject's body to cause an outflow of the filtrate liquid from the filter to the urinary bladder.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . An implantable renal replacement therapy device, the device comprising:
 a first catheter configured to be inserted into a blood vessel in a subject's body;   a pump in fluid communication with the first catheter, the pump is configured to pump subject's blood from the blood vessel;   a flexible flat filter comprising:
 a filtering membrane comprising a filtering membrane interior, the filtering membrane interior being in fluid communication with the pump to receive the subject's blood from the pump, 
 a second membrane surrounding the filtering membrane, wherein a gap between the filtering membrane and the second membrane is in fluid communication with the first catheter to cause an outflow of a filtered blood from the flexible flat filter through the first catheter to the blood vessel, and 
 a filtrate collecting bag surrounding the second membrane; and 
   a second catheter in fluid communication with the filtrate collecting bag of the flexible flat filter and configured to be inserted into a urinary bladder in the subject's body to cause an outflow of the filtrate liquid from the flexible flat filter to the urinary bladder;   wherein at least the flexible flat filter is configured to be implanted in the subject's body between abdominal wall muscles and a transversalis fascia membrane of the subject's body.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , comprising a conduit for injection of liquids into flat flexible filter, the conduit is configured to extend external to the subject's body. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the filtering membrane having a permeability for selected liquids and selected electrolytes. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the filtering membrane comprises silicone material. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the filtering membrane comprises a plurality of slit-shaped nanopores. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the filtering membrane has a wavy structure in its cross-section. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , comprising a first catheter connector connected to the first catheter at a distance from a distal sharped end of the first catheter, the first catheter connector is configured, when actuated, to embrace a portion of a wall of the blood vessel to prevent motion of the first catheter with respect to the blood vessel. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , comprising a second catheter connector connected to the second catheter at a distance from a distal sharped end of the second catheter, the second catheter connector is configured, when actuated, to embrace a portion of a wall of the urinary bladder to prevent motion of the second catheter with respect to the urinary bladder. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the second catheter comprises an adjustable ring configured to adjust a diameter of the second catheter based on a desired blood filtration rate and a desired filtrate outflow rate. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the blood vessel is a vein. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the second membrane having lower permeability for the selected liquids and the selected electrolytes as compared to a permeability of the filtering membrane to cause reabsorption of excess liquids of the selected liquids and excess electrolytes of the selected electrolytes within the filtered blood. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the second membrane is covered with programed pluripotent stem cells, differentiated into living and functioning patches of renal tubular cells. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 11 , comprising a conduit for injection of liquids into the gap between the second membrane and the filtering membrane, the conduit is configured to extend external to the subject's body. 
     
     
         14 . An implantable renal replacement therapy device, the device comprising:
 a first catheter having a distal sharp end configured to be inserted into a blood vessel in a subject's body;   a first catheter connector connected to the first catheter at a distance from the distal sharped end of the first catheter, the first catheter connector is configured, when actuated, to embrace a portion of a wall of the blood vessel to prevent motion of the first catheter with respect to the blood vessel;   a pump in fluid communication with the first catheter, the pump is configured to pump subject's blood from the blood vessel;   a filter comprising:
 a filtering membrane comprising a filtering membrane interior, the filtering membrane interior being in fluid communication with the pump to receive the subject's blood from the pump, 
 a second membrane surrounding the filtering membrane, wherein a gap between the filtering membrane and the second membrane is in fluid communication with the first catheter to cause an outflow of a filtered blood from the filter through the first catheter to the blood vessel, and 
 a filtrate collecting bag surrounding the second membrane; and 
   a second catheter in fluid communication with the filtrate collecting bag of the filter and configured to be inserted into a urinary bladder in the subject's body to cause an outflow of the filtrate liquid from the filter to the urinary bladder.   
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the first catheter connector comprises:
 a first inflatable member connected to an outer surface of the first catheter; and   a second inflatable member connected to the outer surface of the first catheter at a first distance from the first inflatable member and a second distance from a distal sharp end of the first catheter;   wherein, when inflated, the first and second inflatable members are configured to receive a wall of the blood vessel therebetween to prevent motion of the first catheter with respect to the blood vessel.   
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 14 , comprising a second catheter connector connected to the second catheter at a distance from a distal sharped end of the second catheter, the second catheter connector is configured, when actuated, to embrace a portion of a wall of the urinary bladder to prevent motion of the second catheter with respect to the urinary bladder. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the second catheter connector comprises:
 a first inflatable member connected to an outer surface of the second catheter; and   a second inflatable member connected to the outer surface of the second catheter at a predefined first distance from the first inflatable member and a predefined second distance from a distal sharp end of the second catheter;   wherein, when inflated, the first and second inflatable members are configured to receive a wall of the urinary bladder therebetween to prevent motion of the second catheter with respect to the urinary bladder.   
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein at least the filter is configured to be implanted in the subject's body between abdominal wall muscles and a transversalis fascia membrane of the subject's body. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the filter comprises a conduit for injection of liquids into the filter, wherein the conduit is configured to extend external to the subject's body. 
     
     
         20 . An implantable renal replacement therapy device, the device comprising:
 a first catheter configured to be inserted into a blood vessel in a subject's body;   a pump in fluid communication with the first catheter, the pump is configured to pump subject's blood from the blood vessel;   a filter comprising:
 a filtering membrane comprising a filtering membrane interior, the filtering membrane interior being in fluid communication with the pump to receive the subject's blood from the pump, 
 a second membrane surrounding the filtering membrane, wherein a gap between the filtering membrane and the second membrane is in fluid communication with the first catheter to cause an outflow of a filtered blood from the filter through the first catheter to the blood vessel, and 
 a filtrate collecting bag surrounding the second membrane; and 
   a second catheter in fluid communication with the filtrate collecting bag of the filter and configured to be inserted into a urinary bladder in the subject's body to cause an outflow of the filtrate liquid from the filter to the urinary bladder.